298 Senator
O’Brien: To ask the Minister representing the Minister for
Foreign Affairs—

(1) Did
the Minister receive a request from the Minister for Trade to authorise
staff at the Australian Embassy in Brazil in August 2002 and/or September
2002 to gather and provide information about a proposed shipment of
ethanol to Australia by Trafigura Fuels Australia Pty Ltd.

(2) Did
staff at the Australian Embassy in Brazil in August 2002 and/or September
2002 gather and provide information about a proposed shipment of ethanol
to Australia by Trafigura Fuels Australia Pty Ltd; if so: (a) who requested
the staff to engage in that task; (b) who authorised staff to agree
to the request; (c) what action did staff take; (d) which staff engaged
in the task; (e) on what date(s) did staff engage in the task; (f) what
was the cost of engaging in the task; (g) to whom did the staff deliver
this information in Australia; and (h) what form did that communication
take.

(1) Has
the Prime Minister’s office had any involvement in the Government’s
response to legal claims against the Commonwealth by Mr Mark McMurtrie
of New Italy, New South Wales; if so, what involvement has the Prime
Minister’s office had in relation to this matter.

(2) Has
the Prime Minister’s office convened any meetings at the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Offices in Sydney, or any other location, with Mr McMurtrie
and/or any other party to discuss a resolution to Mr McMurtrie’s claims;
if so, for each meeting:

(a) when
and at what time was the meeting held;

(b) what
was discussed; and

(c) who
was present.

(3) Have
members of the Prime Minister’s office given to Mr McMurtrie, or any
other party, orally or in writing, any undertakings in respect to the
resolution of Mr McMurtrie’s claims; if so:

(a) which
staff member gave these undertakings; and

(b) in
each case:

(i) what
was the undertaking,

(ii) who
received the undertaking,

(iii) when
was the undertaking given, and

(iv) was
the undertaking given orally or in writing, if orally:

( a ) at what time, and

( b ) how was it provided (i.e. telephone, meeting etc.), and

if written,
can a copy of the undertaking be provided; if not, why not.

(4) Has the Prime Minister and/or
his office received correspondence from third parties who are concerned
about the conduct of the Prime Minister’s office in relation to this
matter; if so:

(a) what
was the nature of the concerns expressed on each occasion; and

(b) can
a copy of the correspondence be provided; if not, why not.

(5) Is
the Prime Minister aware of the obligations imposed on ministers by A Guide
on Key Elements of Ministerial Responsibility (December 1998)
with respect to the timely response to questions on notice.

(6) Is
the Prime Minister aware that a question placed on notice during the
previous Parliament in precisely the same terms as this question lapsed
unanswered after 210 days.